Electrical connector apparatus



Feb. 15, 1966 G C, NEWTON, JR 3,235,830

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR APPARATUS Filed Aug. l0, 1962 4 FlG.l

:ao4 2 go FIGB INVENTOR GEORGE C. NEW TON JR.

H64 BY m W m ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,235,830 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR APPARATUS George C. Newton, Jr., Concord Road, South Lincoln, Mass. Filed Aug. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 216,187 9 Claims. (Cl. 339-18) The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to electrical connector apparatus for use iny electric and electronic bread-board panels and the like.

For many years bread-board circuits and the like, for laboratory experimentation and other uses, have been constructed upon perforated insulating panels or sheets. Lead wires and terminal conductors of electrical components have been readily mounted and electrically connected to terminals disposed upon the panels, including within the perforations thereof. The rapid solderless connecting-and-disconnecting operation required in such experimental and related circuit constructions, consistent with maintaining short connecting lead lengths, particularly at high frequencies of circuit operation, have given rise to numerous connector devices, all of which, however, have disadvantages either of relatively high cost, as in the case of alligator clips or spring connectors, or limitations as to reliability of electrical connection and size and shape of usable conductors. Among such panels, for example, are those containing metallic eyelets disposed in panel perforations and into which insulating rods may be inserted to wedge lead wires and the like within the eyelets in electrical connection therewith. It has been found, however, that particularly in different-sized, multiwire connections, small wires very often do not receive adequate pressure from the wedge and therefore fail to establish reliable electrical contact with the metallic eyelet.

It is an object of the present invention, accordingly, toprovide a new and improved electrical connector system for use in, or as an integral part of, a panel, that shall'obviate the above-described disadvantages and, to the contrary, shall enablelow-cost, rapid, but reliable, electrical connection with a wide range of different-sized lead wires or other conductors.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a connector of more general utility, also.

Other and further objectswill be made apparent in the description to follow and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In summary, the objects of the present invention are attained in an electrical connector system having, in combination, an apertured insulating panel for receiving conductors within the aperture, resiliently deformable insulating material disposed within the aperture and provided with an opening aligned with the panel aperture and of cross-dimension less than that of theaperture, and a conductive pin having a portion of cross-dimension less than that of the aperture, disposed therewithin and extending into the said opening.

The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

FIG. l is a sectionalized perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional View, upon an enlarged scale, illustrating a plurality of different-sized lead wires connected within a panel aperture;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections of modified panel connector apparatus; and

FIG. 5 is a similar View of still a further modied construction.

Referring to FIG. l, there is shown an electrical connector apparatus for permitting single and multiple, simi- 3,235,830 Patented Feb. 15, 1966 ICC lar and different-sized, conductor connections, comprising an insulating panel I formed of two planar parallelly spaced insulating sheets 1 and 2, as of Masonite, or similar material. The sheets 1 and 2 are respectively provided with pluralities of aligned apertures 1', 2 extending therethrough.

A layer or sheet of resiliently deformable rubber-like insulating material 3, as, for example, of neoprene, is sandwiched between and cemented or otherwise laminated or secured to the planar members 1 and 2. The resilient layer 3 is provided with a plurality of openings 3' of cross-dimension less than that of the apertures 1', 2', but aligned therewith, so that the material 3 forms washer members with partially constricting shoulders 3" intermediate the panel apertures 1', 2' and separated from the exterior of the panel by the adjacent collars of the panel material.

A conductive pin 6 having a lower portion 6' of crossdimension, at least in part, less than that of the apertures 1', 2', and preferably somewhat greater than the crossdimension of the opening 3', is shown disposed therewithin, extending into the opening 3 of the resilient layer 3, and in general, below the panel I. Electrical conductors 8, such as lead wires of electrical or electronic components 5 to be mounted and connected, including resistors, capacitors and the like, are inserted into the apertures 1' and into the openings 3' of the resilient layer 3. As the conductive pin 6 is inserted into the composite aperture 1'-3, it exerts a radial, outward force upon the conductors 8 and against the resilient shoulders 3" bounding the opening 3', establishing reliable electrical contact with the conductive pin 6 and excellent mechanical connection as well. The conductive pin 6 is preferably roughened or otherwise serrated at its lower portion 6' in order to enable removing undesirable deposits, dirt or material from the surface of the conductors 8 during insertion of the pin so as to establish low-resistance good electrical contact. Conventional clamps or clips, not shown, may be applied to the upper terminal portion of the conductive pin 6 to establish further electrical connections with the components 5, as is well known.

The construction of the present invention permits a single pin 6 to establish tight mechanical and reliable electrical connection not only with pluralities of conductors 8 inserted into the apertures 1'-32, but pluralities of different-sized conductors, as well, maintaining good electrical contact between all of such different-sized conductors 8, FIG. 2, and the conductive pin 6. The signicanoe of this fact is readily evident when it is considered that the various electrical components used in circuitry have different-size lead wires.

Tests have shown that a remarkably low resistance drop is attainable with this connector apparatus, of the order of 5.3 milliohms for an aluminum pin 6, a neoprene sheet 3 about 0.125 inch thick and 0.7 milliohm of resistance of the lead wire 8; and this low resistance has been found to remain low even for very low values of current. Further, the electrical connection attained is suitable not only for low frequencies or direct-current, but for radio-frequency applications, as Well.

A further planar insulating member 4 may be mounted below the panel I, as by insulating spacers 7, in order to provide a stop for the inserted pins 6 that will prevent over-insertion of the same and will cover the inserted leads 8 and pins 6 to prevent unwanted contact therewith.

Instead of employing an inner laminated resilient layer of sheet 3, as in the embodiment of FIG. 1, resiliently deformable planar washers 30, FIG. 3, may be secured between the panel surfaces 1 and 2 to provide openings 30' of cross-dimension less than that of the apertures 1', 2' and to serve the same function as the resilient layer 3 of FIG. 1. The rubber-like washer layers 30 may also be supplemented by further resilient washers having slits 10', such as radial cuts therethrough, for assisting in the resilient clamping and electrical connecting operations. If desired, moreover, the washers 10 may be employed without the washers 30 if the openings provided by the slits 10 are aligned with the panel apertures 1', 2'. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, on the other hand, the panel sheets 1 and 2 are fixed to insulating spacers 12, with a pair of resilient washers 30 on opposite sides of a resilient washer 10, secured laterally between the spacers 12 and transversely between the sheets 1 and 2 in alignment with the apertures 1, 2.

A single resilient washer 30, inserted and secured in intermediate channels 13 in the walls of apertures 1 of a single apertured insulating sheet 1, is illustrated in the further modification of FIG. 4. And in the modified structure of FIG. 5, the resilient washers 30 and 10 are pressed into L-shaped channels 13 in the walls of the apertures 1 of the single insulating sheet 1 by a plastic or other eyelet or apertured plug 14. The walls of the plug 14, including the external anges 14 thereof, may be cemented or otherwise secured to the panel sheet 1 to retain the resilient washers 30-10 within the apertures 1. Further to illustrate the versatility of the invention, the conductive pin 6 of FIG. 5 is shown provided with an insulating cap or upper portion 6 to prevent the possibility of electric shock upon touching the pin.

Still other modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and all such are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Panel-mounted electrical connector apparatus for permitting single and multiple, similar and different-sized, conductor connections, comprising in combination, a panel of hard insulating material having an aperture extending transversely of the panel into which conductors may be inserted, a washer member comprising a sheet of resiliently deformable material completely disposed within the aperture substantially parallel to the panel and of thickness less than that of theaperture, said aperture forming a collar adjacent to said washer member separating said washer member from the exterior of said panel, said washer member being provided with an opening therethrough aligned with the aperture but of cross-dimension less than that of the aperture, and a conductive pin having a portion of cross-dimension less than that of the aperture disposed therewithin and extending into the said opening, the resiliently deformable material delining the JOSEPH D.

opening of said washer member being exposed to said pin and having a radial outward force exerted thereon by conductors in said opening about said pin, whereby said conductors are securely held in said aperture in good electrical contact with said pin.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the walls of the aperture are intermediately channeled to receive said washer member, and wherein said washer member is a rubber-like disc.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a second washer member is provided adjacent to the first-mentioned washer member at the side thereof opposite said collar, the second washer ymember having at least one slit therethrough aligned with said aperture and said opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said washer member is held within said panel aperture by an apertured plug fitted at least in part within the panel aperture at the side of said washer member opposite said collar.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said washer member is laminated in said panel as a layer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pin is serrated and has a length greater than that of the aperture.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said opening is a slit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said panel comprises a pair of parallel planar insulating members and wherein said washer member comprises an insulating layer disposed between said planar members.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an additional insulating member maintained spaced from one of said planar members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1931 Sottiaux 339-100 8/1948 Sabee et al 339-17 X 12/ 1948 Weisberg 339-247 X 11/1952 Doane 339-63 X 6/1958 Felts et al 339-100 X 1/1960 Hoberg et al. 339-18 3/1962 Van Deusen 339-18 1/ 1963 Heselwood 339-273 X 4/1963 Colten 339-18 10/1963 Rosenthal et al. 339-18 FOREIGN PATENTS 3/ 1940 Australia. 10/ 1934 Germany. 10/ 1951 Great Britain.

SEERS, Primary Examiner. 

1. PANEL-MOUNTED ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR APPARATUS FOR PERMITTING SINGLE AND MULTIPLE, SIMILAR AND DIFFERENT-SIZED, CONDUCTOR CONNECTIONS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A PANEL OF HARD INSULATING MATERIAL HAVING AN APERTURE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE PANEL INTO WHICH CONDUCTORS MAY BE INSERTED, A WASHER MEMBER COMPRISING A SHEET OF RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE MATERIAL COMPLETELY DISPOSED WITHIN THE APERTURE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE PANEL AND OF THICKNESS LESS THAN THAT OF THE APERTURE, SAID APERTURE FORMING A COLLAR ADJACENT TO SAID WASHER MEMBER SEPARATING SAID WASHER MEMBER FROM THE EXTERIOR OF SAID PANEL, SAID WASHER MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING THERETHROUGH ALIGNED WITH THE APERTURE BUT OF CROSS-DIMENSION LESS THAN THAT OF THE APERTURE, AND A CONDUCTIVE PIN 